Diverse Children’s Books
As reading tutors to elementary-aged students, the teens of Reach Incorporated noticed that few children's books reflected their lived experience as youth of color. So they decided to take action and write their own. Now these D.C. teens are diversifying children's literature, one smart-fun-real-brave-bold story at a time.
With the support of SMP teaching artists and emerging illustrators, Reach authors write collaborative children’s books in their #OwnVoices. And, in collaboration with Reach, we ensure that kids across D.C. (and across the country!) have access to their books. Proceeds from Reach titles support new authors and fund scholarships for the Reach community.
Recent Books
Recent Reach Authors
Author Voice
“[When people responded to our book,] I was about to cry. Hearing somebody that you don’t even know saying they’re proud of you, or that they can relate, or that you came just in time because they were just going through this — it really warms my heart. I feel good.”
Reach Author Talks
Reach authors speak at schools, conferences, festivals, and more about their book. You can request an Author Talk for your class, group, or organization below.
Reader Voice
“Khalil’s Swagtown Adventure? The Hoodie Hero? I guarantee you, these will be the books our kids will pick up. Because they relate. Because these books look like they’re for them … These books will help kids gain confidence. They will help our young black boys in particular not be afraid to read anymore. These are teenagers doing this? Tell them they are doing the right thing.”
Story Behind the Story
In the summer of 2013, the teens of Reach Incorporated defined an important mission: to create stories that the students they tutored could relate to. They recognized that there is a troubling lack of characters and authors of color in the children's book market. So, they set out to change that -- and produced stories that would foster a love of reading in the process.
That first year, Shout Mouse Press founder Kathy Crutcher led workshops with fifteen teen tutors. They brainstormed, drafted, workshopped, and revised. They worked with talented emerging artists to design illustrations for their stories. Ultimately, their hard work paid off, and they produced four emotionally resonant and engaging original children's books. These first four books were the inspiration for Shout Mouse Press. They showed us the power and potential of supporting under-represented authors and of providing platforms for leadership through publication.
Since 2013, we have worked with the teens of Reach to write four children’s books every year, which we call our Books by Teens series. We’re continually blown away by the talent, thoughtfulness, and emotional wisdom that they write into their stories — and continually moved by the ways they expand horizons of possibility for children everywhere about who can be an author, whose story matters.
Learn About Other Author Partners
